Hein Verbruggen, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission for the 2008 Games, announced Tuesday in Lausanne that Beijing, Paris and Toronto are rated as having the ability to organize an excellent Olympic Games in 2008.

The Evaluation Commission is confident that none of the three cities would have any particular major risk in preparing the 2008 Games, said Verbruggen at the press conference where the technical evaluation report of five bidding cities were released.

These three cities, ahead of Osaka of Japan and Istanbul of Turkey, are rated as having only minor deficiencies, which would be resolved before 2008 by an efficient Games organization, Verbruggen said.

Beijing's bid has received strong support from the Government and its people and would leave a unique legacy to China and to sport, the report said.

IOC members will go through the evaluation report in detail and vote for the host city on July 13 in Moscow.

(People's Daily 05/16/2001)